Recent comments by Robert Wakeham

Analysis of Gourock-Dunoon ferry services confirms imperative for changeIt’s difficult to imagine an excuse for the performance of the ‘movers and the shakers’ in SPT, but surely there’s need for reform of the way in which integration of passenger transport in this area of the country is handled. And the only people who can really do that, across various local authorities and public transport bodies, are surely our Holyrood MSPs. Surely, this time of rising political temperatures is exactly the right time to start shouting from the rooftops about this crummy state of affairs. Or should the European authorities be asked for help in sorting out this Scottish mess?

SNP Conference: foundations for one party state cemented in placeSo, ‘Machmaolain’, taking stock, you think (not without reason) that there was corruption in the Strathclyde Regional Council, and that there’s corruption in Westminster (maybe there is, if the reports on the antics of Boris the Bounder are anything to go by) – but you seem to believe that voting for the SNP guarantees an administration in Holyrood as pure as the driven snow. I wonder.

I wasn’t too disappointed and indeed I was truly delighted that John was returned. I’ve worked with many people in the SNP and reckon John is the most generous of all. South Kintyre will have the benefit of that good spirit and bright intellect for a few more years;-)

Gordon Blair has at least been active on the ferry issue. Ron Simon on the other hand has done nothing. The snp put up two in the same ward and their supporters have decided which one will work for them.

??? Oban north. This is a despicable comment on a candidate who deserves the courtesy of your name if you want to have a go. Best wishes Melon next time, at least you put your name up there on the ballot.

“14.16 Ward 8 Isle of Bute: Robert Mcintyre / Isobel Strong / Len Scoullar. So Scoullar skims in at the tail end.” Scoullar elected at the first stage with the most first preference votes. Hardly at the tail end. More biased reporting.

So the question is liable to be – “Who will come together to form a coalition of 18+ for an administration, and on what terms?” Or what distribution of the money/allowances available for SRAs? Policies? Commitments?

Agreed ‘theblokewiththebeard;’ more the usual amatuerish knockabout stuff from Newsie today. But then this has hardly been ‘the night of the long knives’ that some on here predicted. :)so either in a state of shock or …

And just before they congratulate Alisatair McDougall too much I’m prety sure he was a member of Dick’s Independent group.

Newsy… Your comment on the Bute ward that ‘Scoullar skims in at the tail end’ is rather misleading given that Len Scoullar secured 707 votes to Robert McIntyre’s 609 in the first round with Isobel Strong just making it in ahead of Adam Bellshaw at round 6 of the count. SNP bias perhaps!!!

we got Bute the wrong way around in batting order and have corrected it – a previous comment pointed it out.

In our ward predictions in the small hours this morning, we said we thought Adam Bellshaw was a player – although we got the target of his impact wrong. But we did say that predictions bring a hail of bricks. We’re just constitutionally reckless.

And your detailed count information on the Bute result is one we will take into account in the analysis to follow tonight.

I have just seen the figures for the Lomond North ward and it is abundantly clear that the school closure issue was a massive issue in the mind of the voters.

George Freeman, who supported our schools from start to finish, who was third in 2007 has jumped to first with a 38% increase in the number of first preferences he got.

Danny Kelly who blindly voted for closure despite pledging himself to supporting them (he always claimed to have a wise strategy which nobody ever actually agreed with) saw his vote collapse by a remarkable 68% going from 2nd in 2007 (only marginally behind Billy Petrie) to 2nd last out of seven (this despite 4 candidates standing for the first time in Lomond North).

My personal thanks to the people of Lomond North for showing their support for the candidate who publicly backed us and stuck to his word.

HOW can Helensburgh vote back in Ellen Morton – she was one of the main instigators with regards to the school closures. Can someone explain to me in simple terms what the result so far means for Argyll & Bute Council – does Dick Walsh continue as head of the Council? Will the likes of Sneddon continue in his role etc etc Fantastic result for Oban South and the Isles – well done Mary-Jean!

We will publish an article on some of these issues later this evening. The election is also not fully over yet. The Dunoon contest had to be postponed because of the recent death of Councillor Alister McAlistrer, who was due to stabnd in Dunoon. That vote is being held on Thursday 10th May and Dick Walsh is one of the candidates. The overall picture will not be clear until that ward election is completed.

Floribunda – Helensburgh probably voted in Ellen Morton a) because despite the keech you read about her on here – she is an able politcian and b)because the people of Helensburgh don’t consider rural schools to be the ‘big agenda item’ that others think it is. :)(

And we don’t bother so much here about the state Iraq has been left in by our illegal intervention. It’s a matter of scale, Simon but it’s the same thing. We have all to try to understand the condition of the other. If one is a townie or a teuchter – to use the pejoratives for both – one cannot ‘know’ what it is to be the other; but one can ask, discover and intuit. The problem with the school closures was driven, in part, by the phenomenon you identify: urban-based councillors adopting a position on rurality with no experience or understanding of rural communities, the way they work and they way they can fail. It was the complacent assumption that a position of ignorance was somehow a qualification for superior wisdom that was the can of petrol in this inflammation. In this case, as you rightly say, the people of Helensburgh didn’t and don’t think rural schools lke Luss and Kilcreggan matter much. Campbeltown cared as much for Southend; Oban for Barcaldine; Rothesay for North Bute; and Dunoon for Toward. Why should they. It’s not their experience. But that cannot be the basis for deciding, uninformed, on other people’s lives – or for ganging up on them. Yet each of these places unknown to townsfolk is a rich and individual culture, a living organism that keeps alive much of the country. If these places die, then alternative means and values for living die too. It’s not straightforward but it matters.

Simon you can tell that to the parents at Parklands, I was in the council chamber the day of the vote and Ms Morton was to busy attacking Isobel Strong to even mention the schools. I have never seen anything so vindictive in my life…

Rural schools are not a big agenda item in her ward? – well duh! I wonder if it would become one if she had voted to close Cardross Primary twice over the last few years? mmmmmmm?

And then of course there was those lovely pictures in the Helensburgh Dancevertiser a few weeks ago of Ellen and the Gimp informing the electorate of their £19 million bribe to be ALLEGEDLY spent in their back yard. And all because of them.

Cf. Morton’s re-election (and several others), not everyone pays attention to politics. Not everyone has children in school (in fact a lot of people do not) and won’t be aware of the issues there. Not everyone voted. Not everyone who voted will be fully informed as to what’s going on (God only knows I try and avoid local politics as much as possible) and will vote for people that “we” wouldn’t.

All these things combine to produce what scientists refer to as “unexpected results”.

Duh!!! They were voted in!! The electorate wanted them – more than you didn’t want them…

Mibbie just for a nanosecond you might consider that these politicos were not so much ‘anti rural schools’ but perhaps moreof a ‘we have a shed load of priorities we have to consider’ – we have to meet the cuts imposed by the national SNP govt – and we shall consider these cuts in the round”. IE we will not automatically give primacy to rural schools over, old folks homes, roads, sport facilities, care for the elederly, voluntary organisations, housing, etc, etc.

I got on fine. I didn’t get in but came a reasonable fourth and am left with plenty of time to pursue my specific interests. Ambitious? Only in the sense of being ambitous for Argyll and Bute, but then all our SNP councillors are. Other than that I’m quite the happy camper. A lot of ARSN candidates are now councillors.

Newsie “If it wasn’t a serious point but merely another squib through our letter box, then there is no use trying to engage. Email your address and we’ll send you a box of Bengal matches to play with” …. are you on the drink?

Just finished work so just catching up on some of the crack about the results.Firstly I would like to thank everybody who voted for me and for all the people who helped to put everthing together especially my own sons.We went close but best of luck to Roddy he’s a great bloke.Marian told me to say that.As for Oban North I have mixed emotions,great that Ian got in but very sad for melon he would of been a great councillor but he,ll be back I hope. But the tremendous news about McKay means that the cider is being opened at this very moment.This was the councillor who along with Jo Smith’s help put the knife in big George Berry.Sadly in real life decent people don’t get any payback most of the time, but this result is pure magic, just a pity that he was the only one. Where do we go now? Well we will be putting together local debates on different issues that hopefully will generate more interest and keep the councillors on their toes.We have to engage our young people, so that will be an important part of our plans,If we could, a debate with the senior pupils from our high school would I think be a great start.Any Ideas would be very helpful.We can’t just leave it to the councillors we all have to put our bit in. So back to the cider and best wishes and congratulations to all the new councillors, lets rock and roll and make Argyll the best in the West. Power to People.

Thats democracy for you! I think perhaps the mainly single issue campaign focus (George Berry) would not have helped in the eyes of the electorate. You are passionate and had you put a more comprehensive message out then i am sure you would have got in. I had predicted you would have got in, and am sure next time you will.I also feel with your local background you would have got elected in the more transparent ‘first past the post’, system which many hope will return. Enjoy the cider.

I note that not all comments are shown – who makes that decision? I do not like the gloating attitude some of your contributers display. It leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth, particularly when they give only a pseudonym.

For Lowry — Comment 20 Donald Melville received 410 votes! 12 votes short of ousting a long term councillor!! On his first attempt! I wonder if Lowry thinks that he could ever endear himself enough to 410 people to persuade them to vote for him!(or her?)

Donald is a nice guy don’t get me wrong, however ,the reality is that he is rightly or wrongly seen by many as ‘damaged goods’, which is perhaps borne out by the result. Sorry – just telling it as it is

Lowry is not the problem. I am also aware of various incidences of questionable behaviour by this candidate. Unless the SNP has moved away from the moral high ground that some contributors to this blog site seem to claim, then it should look more closely at its candidate selection criteria.

But of course the critics remain anonymous. One of the depressing aspects of what would otherwise be a useful and informative website is the way that a few cowardly people snipe away with questionable contributions while lacking the guts to identify themselves. I accept that some contributors have reasons for withholding their identity but what excuse do Lowry and Spock have other than that what they say is damaging and without any evidence at all other than hint, hearsay and inuendo? Does the high moral tone within their comments suggest that they perhaps lead immaculate and blameless lives? Were they to sign their contributions we could all be the judges although I would hope that those of us who sign our names would be more charitable than they are.

Yawn Yawn -anytime anyone suggests anything inappropriate to do with the SNP candidates or officials Ken is on to bleat about identity. – Have you ever considered maybe others know who Lowry is and simply you dont? Would Lowry’s comment be any less relevant if it was under Mr Ken Lowry or ?Mrs Dot Lowry? Would you then demand an address? In this instance I would suggest given “melon” obtained in excess of 400 votes then whatever the issues are, the public are willing to forgot or disregard as he just missed out so cant be all that bad.

Well I guess they must change their spots, as the Donald Melville I was in school with and dealt with in my early working years was a stand up bloke, willing to help people and a hard worker to boot. But wait a minute he ran as a councillor (trying to help people) and I have seen him in the OT cleaning up Jacobs’s ladder (working within the community) damn maybe he hasn’t changed Lowery try picking up you’re dummy and move on hate will only eat you up my friend

What a nasty set of comments about Donald Melville. Whoever you are, please don’t ever stand for the council. We need positive people, not this sort of pointless sniping. Luckily Mellon will continue to do a lot for the community, and better luck next time. If he had put Duncan MacIntyre out we would have had a pretty good spread of people. Even so it is not at all bad around Oban, and I am really confident that it is going to be a better place to try and get things done in.

I think I have finally rumbled “Simon” It could only be dastardly dick the tricky walsh, I cannot think of anyone else in Argyll with such a twisted mind. Hopefully he will be heading for Tiree this time next week

Sadly the masked men are given some coverage for their cowardly attacks.I would hope that FA would start to block personal attacks that come like that.Having different opinions on all that happens in our area is what makes the debate. I have also been greatly helped by information and ideas that have been given on here.I love an argument on any subject but if you attack someone personally on here it should not be accepted unless you front up with your name.If you feel so strongly about someone surely you would want them to know who you are.If you stand for any public office the stick that goes with it is the price you pay but to have abuse thrown at you from silent cowards should be kept of this site. Power to the People who are proud of their name.

Bit late i know, but i have been out all weekend. Taking up what someone said earlier, i too have noticed that comments that don’t follow to FA’s agenda are removed. Also I heard those that make such comments get blocked.

Paula, have you looked at Simon’s comments? By no stretch of the imagination could he be said to be following FA’s agenda and he’s quite abusive sometimes to boot.

I did see a comment removed once. It said “comment removed” and gave the reason. Maybe newsroom can outline how it’s done again, but I’m not conscious of things being removed. If everyone was agreeing all the time it would be like talking to yourself would it not?

Sorry , Paula, but you are simply wrong on this. Many comments that are posted are critical and contrary and are published. How else would we hear from such tolerant and generously spirited people as Simon, Lowry, JayC and Clootie Dumpling?

Sorry Paula. That is flatly incorrect and you cannot therefore have any evidence for it whatsoever.

In our entire lifespan we have blocked fewer than 10 comments – and that’s allowing for memory loss. They have been blocked because they were fully actionable, scatological or smearing for political advantage.

We have also banned one person permanently because he persisted in clear libel in what was clearly a personal obsession that had nothing to do with anyone else.

We sin-binned another for a period for an instance of outrageously poisonous manipulation.

If anything, we should arguably have blocked a lot more comments, not in our own interests – it is patently obvious that we let anyone say what they like about us – but to offer more protection to some individuals than we have done.

We have perhaps been overly tolerant in such cases because we prefer contributors to self-edit in the interests of observing a basic standard of civility and we believe that most people will do so.

Must support Forargyll on this as I am not aware of anything at all being banned. Sometimes the debates are heated but are in the whole educational and an assist in many cases to forming opinions. Sometimes anger does filter through but on the norm its passionate and not personal (which really has no place here).

Mike, Everyone who loves the use of words should have favourites; Here’s another one for you-defenestration. There will probably be an opportunity to use it when the Coalition for Progress start tackling the situation at Kilmory!